... Russell were frustrated. The House of Commons was largely hostile to reform because, at this stage it saw no need for it. In any case, its social composition was a natural barrier to any degree of democratisation. In 1841, it has been calculated, 342 members were related to the peerage and 240 others were members of the landed gentry; this meant that fewer than 100 were without privileged connections. Most MPs ignored Russell and allied with Palmerston, whose views on the extension of the franchise were well known. Indeed, he and the Conservative leader, Derby made a tactical agreement to ensure that the issue was not raised in parliament between 1859-65, while he failed to refer to it at all during the 1865 election campaign. There was no shortage of MPs willing to express arguments against reform. The two best known were Cranborne for the Conservatives, and the Liberal, Lowe. ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now